Welch Amendment Debated

[Chris Santee]

from U.S. Congressman Peter Welch.....
Congressman Welch’s bipartisan amendment to end the war in Afghanistan was approved last night by the House Rules Committee and will be debated on the House floor later today. Below is a letter Reps. Welch and Chaffetz (R-Utah) sent to House colleagues this morning urging them to support the amendment.

END THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
Support the Chaffetz-Welch Amendment (#63)

Dear Colleague,
We urge you to vote YES on the Chaffetz-Welch amendment to H.R. 1540, which would end the war in Afghanistan by requiring the withdrawal of US ground troops and authorizing the continued presence of only those forces directly involved in counter-terrorism operations.

The successful mission that located and killed Osama bin Laden has raised many questions about the effectiveness of America’s strategy to combat terrorism through a now 10-year-old nation building effort in a deeply corrupt Afghanistan, especially in light of the serious fiscal challenges we face at home.   

We believe a more effective approach to the serious threat of terrorism to Americans at home and abroad is a targeted, worldwide counter-terrorism strategy similar to the intelligence and special operations mission that located and killed bin Laden in Pakistan earlier this month.

It is time to end the war in Afghanistan and recalibrate America’s anti terrorism strategy.  As you ponder the effectiveness of our current nation building strategy in Afghanistan, consider the following facts:
 
·  America is currently spending $2 billion a week in Afghanistan;

·  General Petreaus has indicated there are fewer than 100 Al Qaeda members in Afghanistan; and

·  The Afghanistan government is hopelessly corrupt and President Karzai is unable and/or unwilling to eliminate corruption in his government.

We hope you will join us in voting to end this costly war and refocus America’s effort to combat global terrorism.

Sincerely,
Peter Welch
Jason Chaffetz

[Chris Santee]

House votes on Welch amendments to end the war in Afghanistan
Vote tallies reveal bipartisan opposition to war is growing

WASHINGTON, DC – After a late-night debate Wednesday, two amendments sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch to end the war in Afghanistan came to a vote in the House Thursday afternoon. While both failed, the vote tally reveals growing bipartisan opposition to the war.

Welch’s bipartisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 1540), the annual blueprint for Pentagon spending, would have required the Secretary of Defense to, within 60 days of enactment, present a plan to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan except those engaged in counter-terrorism activities. The amendment, coauthored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), failed by a vote of 123 to 294 and had the support of 18 Republicans. A similar measure earlier this year received 93 favorable votes with only eight of those cast by Republicans.

Rep. Welch also cosponsored a bipartisan amendment by Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) that would have required the Secretary to develop a plan for a transition of military operations to Afghan authorities and a plan for negotiations leading to political reconciliation in Afghanistan. This amendment failed by a vote of 204 to 215 and had the support of 26 Republicans. A similar amendment during the 111th Congress received 138 favorable votes with only seven of those cast by Republicans.

“While we did not prevail today, I am heartened that the votes reveal bipartisan opposition to this ten-year-old war is growing,” Welch said. “It is becoming clearer every day that it makes no sense for American taxpayers to fund a nation-building policy in a hopelessly corrupt Afghanistan, especially given our fiscal challenges at home. General Petraeus tells us there are less than 100 al Qaeda members in Afghanistan. A more effective approach to the serious threat of terrorism is a targeted, worldwide counter-terrorism strategy similar to the intelligence and special operations mission that located and killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan earlier this month.”

Welch voted no on the final passage of H.R. 1540. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 322 to 96.